McClellan: I Support Lunt for Arizona House in District 14

As a rare species in the East Valley — an Independent — I’ve had little reason to be excited about the folks running for the state legislature here.

The men and women who have represented me over the decades have been very conservative.

Stop the steal, starve the government, conspiracy-minded conservative.

But this year I am encouraged about the candidacy of Suzanne Lunt for the state House of Representatives in District 14, which is most of Gilbert and parts of Queen Creek and Chandler. Encouraged because there is an open seat for the House. And encouraged because of who Lunt is and what she stands for.

Lunt is a long-time respected Gilbert educator, so she brings the perspective of someone who has been in the teaching trenches and understands the issues that affect not only our teachers but our parents and students as well. She would provide a fresh voice for the folks in the area in our legislature at a time when education has been such a crucial concern.

As a legislator, Lunt would reach across the aisle, searching for solutions rather than what we see too often, entrenched politicians unwilling to budge. She is what used to be called a compassionate conservative, again a rare species in the East Valley.

Though not a supporter of raising taxes to fund education, she would work to free some of the huge surplus to improve our schools. And unlike many of our legislators currently who seem to ignore it, Lunt would enter the legislature working to find ways to cope with our severe drought.

But Suzanne Lunt can’t win without the help of Independents like me in District 14. She will need us to select a Republican ballot for the August primary, as she is running against several others who are the typical hard-right politician.

I encourage you Independents to get that Republican ballot and vote Lunt for House in District 14.